Epidemiologic studies of disease in different racial groups have frequently revealed major difference in disease occurrence. These observations often provide the first important clues to disease etiology. Over the last several decades, evidence on racial difference in the prevalence of radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) has accumulated. Several studies also found that prevalence of symptomatic OA, mainly in hip and knee joints, varies among different racial groups, yet relatively few studies have incorporated an evaluation of symptomatic disease in their design, even though symptomatic disease has public health and clinical importance. To our knowledge, no population-based study has been conducted to assess differences in symptomatic hand OA among different racial groups. The overall objective of this study is to compare the prevalence of symptomatic hand OA, the pattern of joint involvement, and its impact on upper extremity functional limitations using the data collected from two population-based studies, i.e., the Framingham Osteoarthritis Study and the Beijing Osteoarthritis Study. We will analyze the data collected from 1,099 subjects from the Framingham Osteoarthritis Study and 2,500 subjects from the Beijing Osteoarthritis Study. These two studies used identical protocols to obtain and read the hand radiographs, and identical questionnaire to assess hand symptoms and functional limitations. All information, including hand x-ray reading, hand symptoms, grip strength, and functional limitation, has been collected. The principal investigator has been actively involved in both studies, and played an important role in the study design, operation and data analysis. The results of this study will generate important information on the descriptive epidemiology of symptomatic hand OA among different racial groups. First, this is the first study that incorporated into its design a standardized and identical evaluation of the prevalence of symptomatic hand OA so that valid comparisons between Chinese and Caucasians can be made. Second, participants in both studies were randomly selected from the population, thus, difference in prevalence, joint involvement pattern of symptomatic hand OA are more likely attributable to genetic and/or environment factors between two racial groups rather than to sampling bias; Finally, the study will examine the association between symptomatic hand OA and upper extremity functional limitation in two racial groups so that we will be able to estimate and compare the impact of this disease on functional limitation among the elderly.